Up North: Bits and Pieces

It's been a busy past couple of weeks! I can't believe summer is already coming to an end and my final semester of classes begins in a few short days. I don't feel ready at all, but I'm glad that I got to go home for a visit while I still have the time. Here are a few of my favorite photos from my trip up north:

I'm so thankful that I got to make it up north for a short camping trip with my sister and my cousin! Few things compare to the satisfaction of a perfectly roasted marshmallow. I ate more than I care to admit! 

This little leopard frog hung out on my hand for a good ten minutes. I love all outdoor critters, but these little guys have always especially thrilled me. I'm now a grown woman, but I still get exciting about catching frogs! 

We had a wonderful dinner and multiple delicious breakfasts of potatoes and herbs from my family's backyard garden. Homegrown veggies complete my summer! Having a garden is the best, and I hope to plant one of my own at my new place next summer. 

Speaking of my new place...boy, moving sure is exhausting! I just spent a week up north, but now I'm currently on a bus back to Grand Rapids. When I get home, I'll return to the seemingly endless journey of unpacking. I did get my bookshelves and a few frames hung up already, so I'll post some photos shortly! I'm already loving having a full size kitchen and I can't wait to share more cooking adventures with you! 

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend! 

Life Lately (Goats and Shows)

It's been far too long since I've posted! I just finished exam week in one of my summer classes and have been working during most of my free time. Gotta pay that rent! Being a broke college kid is so exhausting- I truly cannot wait for it to be over. Maybe then I'll have enough energy for more creative endeavors! Money might help...either that or nicer weather. I live about 45 minutes from the beach and can't afford to get there very often, so without a Great Lake to jump into, I'm stuck suffering in this West Michigan humidity! What can I say? I'm a Northern Michigan girl at heart. Anyway, my sister came to stay with me last week and ended up hanging out by herself half of the time because I had to work so much. Even though I was gone a lot, we made the most of our time and had a lot of fun before the week was up!

My sister, Jessie, making friends!

My favorite goat, #8, getting all up in my face.

I call this little sweetheart "baby," even though he could just be a tiny goat.

I took my sister to visit my goats! Well, they aren't my goats, technically, but I've been volunteering as a shepherd of sorts with Ottawa County Parks and I'm getting really attached to them. It was partially for a class project, but I'm going to continue doing it even now that the class is over because I've been having such a great time! It's part of a "prescribed browsing" project, which basically means that the goats are kept in a large enclosure on-site to munch on invasive species like poison ivy and the oriental bittersweet vine all day. These kind of invasive species are causing some serious damage to some of my favorite nearby parks, but already the goat project has been very successful! I'm excited to see the results in a few more months!

A blurry photo of Vampire Weekend.

A blurry photo of CAKE.

We got to go to a couple amazing concerts while my sister was here: Vampire Weekend and CAKE. It was definitely a great way for her to start her summer vacation! Vampire Weekend had been planned for a few months and it did not disappoint. They sounded even better live than in the studio, and singing along with Ezra to all of my favorite songs was one of the best feelings in the world! CAKE, on the other hand, was a surprise show. We were at Fredrick Meijer Gardens (I plan on doing a post about that soon) and they just happened to be in the outdoor amphitheater taping a pre-show before their concert later that evening. We slipped through the fence and got our very own private concert! That is, until I took out my phone camera and the security guys realized that we probably shouldn't be there. Still, it was a wonderful experience! Feel free to check out my article in the Awesome Mitten to read more about the Vampire Weekend show.

Oh lovely Lake Michigan.

We made it to the beach twice, but only went swimming the first time around when it was warm enough. The water is still freezing, but it's actually semi-bearable when the air is so sweltering. It was beautiful nevertheless, and I can't wait to go back for more!

Such deer little strawberries!

I love going to garage sales and I love going with people who get as excited as I do about them. Luckily, mysister is one of those people. I found these adorable little glass deer at a farmer's small sale and he ended up giving them to me for free just because he liked how excited I was about them. We bought these freshly picked strawberries from the same farmer and turned it into shortcake later that night. I wish I had a picture of the shortcake, but it was gone before I had a chance to snap one! 

Anyway, that's all for now! I'll get to that Fredrick Meijer Gardens post soon- I have some really great photos of the beautiful flora and sculptures scattered throughout the gardens. Hope you're able to beat the heat and have a wonderful week!

Buzzing and Blooming

These photos are from a recent walk in the arboretum and ravines near my apartment. Summer is really here and it just makes me so happy. Everything outdoors seems to be either buzzing, singing, or blossoming! Does it get any better than this? I don't think so.

I'm getting ready to go out for another round of pub trivia. Hmmmm...what to wear?! I really need to go thrifting for some summer clothes soon. I have no shortage of oversized sweaters, but that just won't do in this daily 80 degree humidity. I struggle with putting together good outfits in the heat!

Anyway, off I go. It's almost the weekend, and I hope your week is going swimmingly!

<3

Say No To Cabin Fever

I love comfy couches and Netflix as much as the next person, but I can only handle sitting still like that for short lengths of time. I get cabin fever if I'm cooped up for longer than a day. (More like apartment fever, I suppose- I wish I lived in a cabin!)

There are so many ways to get out and about, and I truly never tire of discovering new ones. It seems like most people have their own unique "go-to" ideas that are made possible by warm weather and the summer's sunshine. What are your favorite things to do to get out of the house?

Here are just a few things I've done to cure my restless soul syndrome these past few days:   

Holland State Park is one of my favorite places in West Michigan. Although this park is just a simple Lake Michigan beach (I usually prefer my beaches to be accompanied by trails), I love the river that runs alongside it and watching sailboats drift in and out of the marina. Plus there are tons of options for ice cream on the drive in- an absolute necessity for any beach day!

The lilacs are blooming behind our apartment! I was so excited when I noticed them that I grabbed a pair of scissors and ran outside to go on a wildflower hunt. Even just a small walk during the day can really brighten my mood and make me feel more connected to the world around me.

My favorite apartment fever cure is simple: look up events happening nearby, fill up the gas tank, and go! That's what got us to the Fruitport "Old Fashioned Days" celebration last night. There was a small zoo, a carnival, live music, and fireworks show at dusk! We had so much fun eating corn dogs, petting exotic animals, and sitting by the lake watching the fireworks (which are possibly my favorite thing in the world). 

You've probably noticed by now, but I really love beaches. I never feel more complete than I do when I'm by the water, specifically near the truly Great Lakes. This photo was taken on Friday at the Grand Haven State Park, another one of my favorite places in West Michigan. Sadly, the water was too cold for swimming just yet, but summer is finally here and I'm sure it will warm up soon!

Life Lately

This is one of my absolute favorite tops- I love the pattern and the silky material. It's usually my "business professional" shirt, so I wore it to my job interview earlier this morning. (Younkers)

I've been trying to get outside to enjoy this nice weather as much as possible. It's beginning to turn green down the Eastmanville Bayou trails- perhaps summer is on its way?

I love sitting in the grass by the pond outside of our apartment building. It's the perfect spot for painting and reading  The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno, a deeply tragic, beautiful, and witty tale of a grown man's memories. 

This beautiful tree near our building is finally in bloom. I'm not sure what kind of tree it is, but I love it. 

Summer is off to a slow start here, but I'm enjoying the relaxation time before classes pick up and I begin to tackle all of my summer goals (including creating posts that are much more exciting, I promise). For now, I just want to sit around and read, sleep, and eat. So I think I will.

Happy Friday! Does anyone have any fun weekend plans?

<3

Weekend Snippets

I'm back in Grand Rapids now, but I wanted to share a few photos from my weekend with my family back in my hometown. These photos make me happy and I could use that extra boost right now! It's only Monday and it's already been a very stressful week because of exams and regretting my terrible procrastination. I've been functioning on a nap-based sleep system while I finish up projects, and it's actually working better than I'd expected! I stayed up all night and I might have to do it again tonight, but I've taken at least 4 hour-long naps and I'm actually feeling like I can do this. I'm so ready to graduate! 

I hope you have a wonderful week! Happy Monday! :)

This is my dear sweet puppy, Sophie. My family got her from the Humane Society the year before I left for college, and I spend at least half of my life missing her and wishing I lived closer. I think she misses me a lot, too, because she spends a lot of time curled up on my bed sleeping in the sunlight in my old room. I miss my cuddle buddy!

I must admit, our Easter eggs this year turned out to be delightfully nerdtastic. I'm pretty proud! My parents did a few of them, but it was mostly my sister and I having too much fun covering various fandoms (Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli, Pokemon, Sailor Moon, Bob's Burgers, Adventure Time, Harry Potter, Sherlock, Doctor Who, and Star Trek).

My Dad built these bookshelves a few years ago and lined the walls of the living room in a lovely library. I love that I've inherited his book collecting obsession, and someday I hope I have enough bookshelves to line my own walls! 

Hiking at Rosy Mound

I haven't posted in a few days because I've been so busy with school. It's the end of the semester and I'm going crazy finishing up last minute writing assignments and group projects that are all due this week. It's my own fault, of course, because I'm one of the world's worst procrastinators and I do everything the night before. I take comfort in remembering that it's almost summer, and then I'll only have one semester left of college. It's crazy how the time has flown by!

Anyway, nobody wants to hear about how busy I've been. Everybody is busy!

So in honor of the weekend and the warmer weather, I took a trip to my favorite hiking spot near Grand Haven. It's called the Rosy Mound Natural Area and it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The Lake Michigan dune ecosystem's thick forests, sprawling grasslands, and almost surfable waves are so unique and lovely. I have to pry myself away from the sand when it's time to go- I never want to leave!

It was so warm outside- I couldn't believe that there was still snow on the trails and ice on the lake! I was not wearing the right shoes for climbing snow-covered steps, but luckily there were railings that I could cling to as I trudged up and down the icy slopes. When we finally made it to the beach, we spread out a blanket and sat in the peaceful silence of the almost frozen waters for awhile. It was wonderful!

One of my absolute favorite things about nature trails is the consistent friendliness of people you meet in the forest or along the beach. Something about the shared love of nature creates this sense of kinship between you and and anyone else you pass along the way. Whether it's a simple sincere smile or an enthusiastic "hello" with small conversation, I always leave feeling happier and more connected than before.

I hope spring keeps these lovely days coming!

Now, it's back to the grindstone. See you on the other side!

Hello, Sunshine!

                

The sun is finally out and it's warm enough to open windows! I've been trapped on the couch with a terrible cold all weekend, so I'm especially glad to welcome this lovely weather. I'm feeling better already- thanks, Spring!

The house plants are loving the sunshine food and my old rainbow water-filled Jones bottles are shining colorful patterns all across the bedroom. It's amazing how much bigger a tiny apartment seems when the windows are cracked open. 

I think I see some intense spring cleaning in my future!